Well I'm an advocate of giving Middlebrooks a little bit more time to work it out. His at-bats started to look better before he went on the D.L. and then he went down so it's kinda been hard for him to get going. But I will concede that the team can only endure this for too long. WMB has to much talent to sit on the bench so if it had to happen I'd rather have him get sent down than be regulated to the bench.

If Xander Bogaerts hits in Pawtucket (I think he will) he will be knocking on the door. Iglesias offense will come back down to earth but regardless his plate approach looks much much improved during this second go around this season. When he does come back down I'm confident he is going to hit more than good enough to justify his defense. Between Bogaerts and Iggy I think it is insanely safe to say Drews days are numbered in Boston. WMB needs to pick it up because iggy's bat won't play at 3B when he comes back down to earth (corner infield puts more pressure on the bat than up the middle infield positions)

It will be interesting to check things out. Drew is actually top ten in the league in many most offensive catergorys with less at-bats than most of the guys in front of him so he has trade value.

Please note: we should all be rooting for Stephen Drew, because it may be enevitable that he is gone by July 31st regardless of how he plays and if he plays well we get something of more value for him and the team reaps the benefits of his play.

Well I'm an advocate of giving Middlebrooks a little bit more time to work it out. His at-bats started to look better before he went on the D.L. and then he went down so it's kinda been hard for him to get going. But I will concede that the team can only endure this for too long. WMB has to much talent to sit on the bench so if it had to happen I'd rather have him get sent down than be regulated to the bench.

If Xander Bogaerts hits in Pawtucket (I think he will) he will be knocking on the door. Iglesias offense will come back down to earth but regardless his plate approach looks much much improved during this second go around this season. When he does come back down I'm confident he is going to hit more than good enough to justify his defense. Between Bogaerts and Iggy I think it is insanely safe to say Drews days are numbered in Boston. WMB needs to pick it up because iggy's bat won't play at 3B when he comes back down to earth (corner infield puts more pressure on the bat than up the middle infield positions)

It will be interesting to check things out. Drew is actually top ten in the league in many most offensive catergorys with less at-bats than most of the guys in front of him so he has trade value.

Please note: we should all be rooting for Stephen Drew, because it may be enevitable that he is gone by July 31st regardless of how he plays and if he plays well we get something of more value for him and the team reaps the benefits of his play.

Well I'm an advocate of giving Middlebrooks a little bit more time to work it out. His at-bats started to look better before he went on the D.L. and then he went down so it's kinda been hard for him to get going. But I will concede that the team can only endure this for too long. WMB has to much talent to sit on the bench so if it had to happen I'd rather have him get sent down than be regulated to the bench.

If Xander Bogaerts hits in Pawtucket (I think he will) he will be knocking on the door. Iglesias offense will come back down to earth but regardless his plate approach looks much much improved during this second go around this season. When he does come back down I'm confident he is going to hit more than good enough to justify his defense. Between Bogaerts and Iggy I think it is insanely safe to say Drews days are numbered in Boston. WMB needs to pick it up because iggy's bat won't play at 3B when he comes back down to earth (corner infield puts more pressure on the bat than up the middle infield positions)

It will be interesting to check things out. Drew is actually top ten in the league in many most offensive catergorys with less at-bats than most of the guys in front of him so he has trade value.

Please note: we should all be rooting for Stephen Drew, because it may be enevitable that he is gone by July 31st regardless of how he plays and if he plays well we get something of more value for him and the team reaps the benefits of his play.

#goodproblemstohave

What Top Ten categories are you talking about with regards to Drew? He's not in any Top Ten.

its pretty obvious the only reason drew is starting is to build his value for the trade deadline, drew has no future in boston beyond this year. hopefully the sox deal him at the deadline and start iggy the rest of the year.

No there's 30....Im comparing him to all SS in the MLB. Like I've said a gazillion times I'm all for iggy over Drew I'm just the fact that Drew is in no way as bad as everyone says.

[/QUOTE]

I'm not complaining about Drew. Just saying that in games like tonights, tied 4-4 in extra inning the Sox could use a hot bat in the lineup and the way Iggy's hitting he should be in there. I realize the Sox are up there among the leaders in the AL in every offensive category but it it can only help to have a .400 hitter in there. How long Iggy will stay no one knows.

As for Drew he's kind of in an odd position, brought in to be our SS short term and with Iggy breathing down his back he's gotta be feeling the pressure. Farrel's probably playing Drew because of the money he's getting. Drew's playing very well defensively, so hopefully he starts to hit. If Middlebrooks starts to hit it creates a tough situation as to who gets playing time so for me Drew is the odd man out and becomes trade bait or a super sub.

As for Farrel, he's doing a great job with no complaints from this corner but would just like to see Iggy getting more at bats.

Drew absolutely stinks! He can't hit and he definately isn't a great SS. They lose tonights game because he has no range. Lugo isn't dead he just changed his name!!!!! You have an all world SS and you keep him on the bench for this bum,shame on you John Farrell !!!

It is getting to the point where it defies all reason. Drew is now batting.219. Iglesias is batting .450. No one could honestly deny that Iglesias is better defensively. We still have posters saying that , by the end of the year , Drew will be out hitting Iglesias. How long are we supposed to wait before that begins to occur? There is absolutely no reason why Iglesias should sit on the bench. The only argument should be whether Drew or Middlebrooks sits. To say that because we are in first place, we should continue to make this mistake is simply wrong. Put your best team on the field. Our best team means Iglesias at short. How in the world can that be disputed?

Middlebrooks is not on the bench vecause he has potential. The same cannot be said for Drew; he is what he is. Nobody knows, at this time, what Iggy's "norm" might be, but I would be very jappy with .260/.270, maybe a dozen SB. He'll save more games in a week, with his glove, than Drew will drive in in a month.

Actually, I see Igg as a most likely .300 hitter. And I don't like the idea of spotting him at 2nd or 3rd, or as a utility infielder. Can you image Aparicio, or Ozzie Smith being jerked around, when they're talent was right there for all to see right from the beginning?

The only time Drew hits the field is against soft tossing righties. Otherwise syonara!

he knocked in the 3rd run last night...what did Middy do?

Your bias and cant be taken seriously on this.

I agree that Iggy should play against LHP and Ive been wondering why Farrell isnt usuing him as a defensive replacemenr and bat against tough LHP late in games. But just because you dont like him because of his name, dont exaggerate things. This is why most people dont take posters like you seriously most of the time. Where were you when Drew had a 900+ OPS for almost a month?

Drew needs to get his value up and will be playing against allRHP and apparently some LHP. Blaming him for last night is ridiculous. Nobody is comparing his defense to Iggys. Hes a good SS and we all knoiw Iggy is elite. Maybe you should direct your anger at Farrell for not playing Iggy. Or maybe Middy for playing terrible defense and costing our starter an inning and possibly a run.

I have been siding with Farrell for a long time regarding his use of Drew and Middlebrooks, but now that Drew's average has dropped below .223 (again?) he is now hitting exactly one half of what Iglesias is hitting.

No longer can Iglesias sit down and let Drew and Middlebrooks wallow around at the Medoza line while providing less defense at either position.

Iglesias needs to be in the lineup until he fails. I would let Drew and Middlebrooks alternate with each other until one of them rises up and forces the other to the bench.